THE GRASS ISN’T GREENER

I’ve decided to proclaim today, May 12, 2011, as VCU’s official “Mid-Major Emancipation Day”. Years ago, I read that Xavier had turned down a weekly mid-major award from some website because the Musketeers, as an institution, refuse to acquaint themselves with the term “mid-major”. Xavier’s position was, essentially, we’re major, “we’re not mid-major, sub-major, minor or anything else. We’ll play and beat anybody. We’re on their level.”

At the time, I recognized the validity of the position, but also sort of scoffed at it. I looked at the term mid-major as sort of like a club. I graduated from Ohio University and during my four-plus years as a Bobcat, I probably said, “I go to Ohio University, not to be confused with Ohio State,” 1,714 times. From there, I worked at Monmouth University in New Jersey before trekking down I-95 to VCU. Those three schools didn’t exactly register on a national scale, at least until this March. I enjoyed having some distance between the Davids and the Goliaths.

Some people choose to embrace it. Heck, Kyle Whelliston at MidMajority.com has made a career out of it. I did as well, but as the years went on, I started to see the term as something else, an artificial designation of second tier. It raises the question, if you start referring to yourself as second-best, aren’t you resigning yourself to that very fate?

VCU’s Final Four run should signal an end of the days that we refer to ourselves as “mid-major”. Sure, it won’t stop the media from using it, but that’s okay.

There’s been this unspoken understanding in college basketball for some time that coaches at non-BCS schools (artists formerly known as mid-majors), once they achieve a level of success, MUST immediately pull up the tent stakes and grab a job at some job in the Big 12, SEC, ACC or wherever. Although fans often believe otherwise, the reasons are rarely prestige-driven. Normally, it’s about dollars and cents. More money for the coach and more resources with which to attain success.

But VCU’s Final Four appearance, as well as Smart’s subsequent contract extension, should dispel any notion of VCU as a mid-major. We’re not anybody’s caddie. We’re no red-headed stepchild of Virginia Polytechnic or Wahoo? U. We’re major. We’re here to stay. Start saying it. Starting thinking it. Start believing it.

I had lunch with another Rams fan today. We discussed this very topic.
My comment was that I would like to think this past year was part of the kind of program building that Mike K. did at Duke.
Why not?
Why not have an extended run of extraordinary success?
Among my friend’s comments: The Rams used to be a program that featured maybe 5 players who could contribute during any given season. This coming year, we could be 10 or more in that category.

I bleed black and gold. I love VCU to death. That said, I can’t agree with this at all. We had an amazing run. An improbably run. Some might even say a “lucky” run. We did it all as a mid-major. The fact of the matter is that we are still a mid-major. Like the term or hate the term, it is what it is.

But VCU’s Final Four appearance, as well as Smart’s subsequent contract extension, should dispel any notion of VCU as a mid-major.

We always have been a mid-major. There really is no comparing our accomplishments before this past season’s Final Four run to a team like Gonzaga’s, Memphis’s or Xavier’s. Trying to put ourselves on that level because of one season’s run in the Tournament is a product of arrogance. I understand the impact of the achievement, but if we follow that up by missing the dance entirely next season, what will everyone else say?

George Mason found themselves in a similar position after 2006, but I’m not sure anyone outside of Fairfax would consider them to be outside of Mid-Major status. The fact of the matter is that George Mason went back to being a good, not great, CAA team the next five seasons.

Kent State after their Elite Eight run. Where are they now? Davidson after their Elite Eight run. How about them? St. Joseph’s after Delonte West and Jameer Nelson left? Teams from mid-major smaller conference schools have shown the ability to get hot in March and go on deep runs in the dance with senior-led squads or exceptional NBA-quality talent. Usually they go back “down to earth” after a couple years and aren’t heard from for a while afterwards.

Can we be different? Yes. But we are fighting history here. And trying to disassociate ourselves from what we are (If you are familiar with Mid-Majority, you’re familiar with the concept of the Red Line – which we are still below even with the raise given to Shaka Smart and his staff) doesn’t solve anything except for making us look like fools if/when we end up finishing 2nd or worse in the CAA.

Instead of calling for us to try and rid ourselves of the term, I’d instead call for mid-major solidarity. We’re in the same boat as teams like Old Dominion, Belmont, Wichita State, and others who fight and struggle for respect. Any of those teams could easily find themselves in our shoes any given March. We are a part of something larger than simply our Final Four run. Every mid-major that reaches that level of accomplishment is a crack in the pseudo-caste system of college basketball. A nail in the coffin of the old guard claiming the Power Six is simply too good, and that schools at our level simply can’t compete.

Do you have any insight as to the impact this season will have on next years schedule? I have to believe we would be able to schedule some top notch competition on either a home and away basis, or in some holiday tournaments?

Much of next year’s non-conference schedule was in place even before the NCAA Tournament, so I wouldn’t expect and immediate, dramatic impact. However, next year’s schedule was already shaping up to be pretty good even before March. Although nothing has been officially released, you’ll have road games at Alabama and Akron and a BracketBusters game (not sure if home or away). Additionally, you’ll have home games with UAB, Richmond and South Florida. VCU has also committed to playing in the Charleston Classic, which will net three games from a field that currently includes Georgia Tech, LSU, St. Joseph’s, Seton Hall, Tulsa and Western Kentucky. That’s a pretty strong schedule for a team that will lose four of its top five scorers.

I think any dramatic changes to the schedule will be seen down the road. As far as Virginia Tech and Virginia go, I think that’s mostly up to them, or at least, that’s the way I’ve come to understand it.

WAYYYY back in 1977-78, when Dana Kirk (yes, THAT Dana Kirk) was head coach, I had an opportunity to ask him–in light of a 10-1 start–how long he thought it might take for him to turn the Rams (who ended up that year 24-5 with an upset of Georgetown–yes, they’re now 2-0 vs the Hoyas–and their first post-season [NIT] bid) to become a “big-time” program. Without hesitation, Kirk replied “We ARE big-time college basketball.”
Arrogance? Or just plain ATTITUDE?
A few years later (’84-’85), J.D. Barnett told a press conference flat-out that his goal for the then-nationally-ranked Rams WAS to make the Final Four.
Was THAT arrogance or attitude?
Of course, they then got beat in the second round by Alabama and a disappointed (but hardly humbled) Barnett subsequently split for Tulsa. Funny thing is–Barnett never again achieved the level of success he had with the Rams.
One of his assistants, of course, was Tubby Smith–who would eventually coach Kentucky to a national title. But I often wondered if Smith should have been considered to succeed Barnett before he first followed J-D–and then went after his own destiny. Smith too–had that attitude about seeing the picture–and the program–as a case of being more than worthy of taking on anyone.
Despite a then-relatively-down stretch that would follow, it was always the Athletic Department’s whole focus to think big. The move to the Metro Conference exemplified that. When the Metro morphed into Conference USA and just about brushed the Rams aside–the move with what was a highly-competitive and competition-toughened program to the Colonial produced instant results–an immediate CAA title and first NCAA bid since the Barnett days. It was another bee in the bonnett for the CAA–which had never (and WILL never) backed down against anyone. Now a program that had always, in my opinion, had that ATTITUDE and now was in a conference that carried itself the same way–now had more reason than ever to stick out its chest. Do you think the CAA should not do the same now that it has had two Final Four teams in the last six years and once again has been ranked in the Top Ten (I believe 9th?) nationally? And this conference is a SOLID Top-Ten conference.
And the Colonial, in my opinion, is really better than ninth. Take a good look at what we have here. Last I looked, there are six so-called “BCS” conferences (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, SEC, Big 12 and Pac Ten). THEN what? Conference USA? Atlantic Ten? Mountain West? The WAC? The MAC? Xavier was actually called a “mid-major” the other day and raised hell about that storied program being labeled as such. Gonaga’s been labeled a “mid-major” for years–but they always manage to raise more than a few eyebrows in the Tournament, Mark Few’s STILL their head coach, and they don’t know how to conduct themselves or play at any level but the absolute highest possible. Definitely ATTITUDE.
Norwood Teague’s got that attitude, too. Before the NC States of the world could wrest away still another “rising star,” Teague pounced–and now Shaka Smart’s a multi-millionaire; improvements to Siegel Center–including luxury seating (AND a proposed suite right off Smart’s office)–are already on the drawing board; and Smart’s already landed a blue-chipper in first-team All-State guard Teddy Okerafor. I see no reason to be even remotely humbled or feel like being over one’s head. Hell–this alumnus is DAMN PROUD of this program–AND the ATTITUDE that both this program AND its conference continues to carry. You don’t win anything without that attitude. How do you think every body and soul that’s crammed into Siegel Center this November is going to feel when that Final Four banner is raised?
A program that’s “just another mid-major” doesn’t become the ONLY Division One program in the history of the sport in its state to produce back-to-back first-round NBA draft picks. And guess who just got to the draft combine in Chicago? A fellow named Jamie Skeen. Three in a row, maybe?
I live in the New York area. It’s nice to say “VCU” just like that in front of people now and no longer have to feel like I have to explain what it means.
I’ve been waiting, hoping and praying for this University to FINALLY reach what I’ve always believed was due it ever since that little talk with Coach Kirk those 33 years ago. It was a long time coming and hard-earned. But they’ve earned it. With this huge step now in the rear-view mirror, the last thing I want to see is any depletion of that attitude.
There’s nothing wrong with maybe a little arrogance–as long as it’s positive, controlled, and kept perpetually consistent. This program–and this conference–has nothing but better days ahead.
Go for it, guys. NEVER look back. BE “BIG TIME”–just the way you’ve always seen yourselves and the way you should ALWAYS think.

Don’t worry, Chris. This Class of ’82 Mass Comm grad’s got enough on his plate already up here; between battling a disability (MS) and trying to still have any kind of a career in spite of it. I now just work as a fill-in on a per-assignment basis.
If nothing else, my co-workers appreciated the “education.” To get them straight on the school’s name, I first immediately reminded them of an old NBC-TV promo for affiliates back in the late ’70’s that was custom done by the late Gilda Radner for Channel 12. Using her classic “Emily Litella” character, Radner nailed the school’s identity problems dead-center–her bumbling character botching the “official” name by calling it “Virginia CommonHEALTH University.” A voice off-camera is heard trying to correct her–but she bumbles it again (“Common-WOH”); finally giving up with her signature line: “Never mind!”
I was on the air during two of the tournament games. There was only ONE primary name ever used when I got to updating our score: “V-C-U.” If I varied at all, it was either “The VCU Rams” or simply “The Rams (can’t overdo that one up here since Fordham’s got the same nickname).”
In fact, I knew I had everybody up here well-trained when I was first called in to do the second shift. I wasn’t sure I could do it initially. But then, my shop-steward (who went to Hofstra, by the way)–who had made the assignment call–answered me back by saying: “But Kevin–it’s VCU!”
With that kind of progress now-achieved, I figured the “old master” shouldn’t let those boys down.
I was at my proudest doing those shifts–while still maintaining my best third-person writing to show all–at least on the surface–true professional impartiality. If anyone detected a hint of a smile in my tone, oh well. I learned about what a “homer” sounds like by listening to everyone from Phil Rizzuto to Harry Caray to even the beloved Frank Soden. But Frank was still a great “teacher in the booth” when I got to work with him once, and you seldom ever heard any personal possesive pronouns out of him (well..every now and then–but not TOO many).
I had good instructors both AT VCU and around Richmond as a whole when I was down there. Regretfully, most are gone now, but I still have many old friends there and I hope I can take a trip down there to see everyone sometime this summer. Should be cool touring the campus THIS trip especially!

Bill SMay 17, 2011 @ 17:22:38

VCU should have the same attitude about the name mid major as an Xavier, or a Gonzaga has – which is DO NOT call us mid major! VCU should be called a non BCS school, and those of the six football conferences locked into the BCS can be called BCS. There is nothing mid level when you look at the upper echelon basketball teams that reside in conferences such as the CAA, A10, Missouri Valley, and other conferences such as the Mountain West. There is nothing on a major level when you look at the lower echelon teams that reside in the BCS conferences for basketball. In the State of Virginia VCU, ODU, UR, and George Mason are superior, higher basketball level teams, that UVA or VA Tech.

Bill,
I’m up here in Big East country, and you can find plenty of support for your theory just by trying to tolerate a few Rutgers or Seton Hall games. UR came up here to Prudential Center last December and whipped the Hall pretty good. I’d love to see the Rams get up here and also fatten up–either in Newark OR Piscataway. St. John’s had their first good year in ages this past year, but just about the whole team’s going to turn over after being nearly obliterated by graduation. And the Rams more than proved they could both play–and win–last November at the Garden.
VCU should have won last year at South Florida. ‘Ya think Coach Smart also wouldn’t mind a trip up to Chicago to get a crack at DePaul?
That’s the crazy thing about the Big East–it was both top-heavy AND bottom heavy.
The ACC wasn’t such great shakes this past year, either–just four NCAA bids and a couple of NIT’s. And you’re right about the utter invisibility of UVa and Tech. They’ll both be in “scared to play other in-state teams” mode BIG TIME next season–whether those in-state teams are good or not (maybe they’ll schedule VMI, Radford or Longwood at home). Virginia has lost to VCU ONCE–after something like six or seven straight wins–and has not scheduled the Rams since. VCU and Tech haven’t played since the Metro Conference ended.
Frankly, the shoe may now be firmly on the other foot as far as VCU’s concerned, anyway. Used to be–UVa and Tech didn’t need us. Now–we DEFINITELY don’t need them–unless, of course, they’d like to play us in Richmond! Funny how the worm turns, isn’t it? I’ve never really agreed with THAT type of attitude, but all it takes is seeing the proverbial coin flip, and next thing you know–now its YOU instead of them! But I think a case can be made that there’s still an exception here. I think our alma mater may always need to have that chip on its shoulder and maintain that “something-to-prove” approach; just to be sure it always keeps its feet on the ground and keeps building.